Ford cuts F-150 fuel use through CNG-capable fleet sales, EcoBoost

The possibility of $1-a-gallon fuel would make a lot of US governmental entities sit up and take notice. The state of Oklahoma and the city of Dallas are making that happen. Those two entities are buying up a bunch of Ford F-150 pickups retrofitted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG), all in the name of cost savings and emissions reduction.

Oklahoma is buying 256 of the F-150s, while Dallas is buying another 65. The trucks, which cost between $6,000 and $9,500 to retrofit (on top of the original price), can run on either CNG or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). And while that's a substantial hit, conversion costs are typically paid back in three years thanks to lower refueling costs.

CNG prices are as low as $1.07 a gallon in parts of Oklahoma.

How much lower? The national average price for CNG is about a buck and a half less than the $3.67 average per-gallon cost of gasoline. And CNG prices are as low as $1.07 a gallon in parts of Oklahoma, where CNG is plentiful. CNG also cuts tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions by about 20 percent compared with gasoline, while the retrofitted trucks can go as far as 450 miles from their CNG tanks in addition to the 300-mile range from their conventional tanks. That's useful in a bit state like Texas.

This week, the US Energy Department trumpeted a $5.9-billion loan program that Ford accessed to upgrade its factories for production of its EcoBoost engines, noting that Ford has sold a half-million F-150 trucks with EcoBoost engines. Those trucks have collectively cut fuel use by almost 57 million gallons of gas during the past three-plus years. Check out Ford's press release on the F-150 purchases below and the Energy Department's statement about its loan program here.

The state of Oklahoma and its agencies to buy 256 Ford F-150 trucks prepped to run on compressed natural gas; Dallas orders 65 for its fleet

2014 F-150 available with gaseous-fuel prep option on 3.7-liter V6 engine; can run on CNG or liquefied petroleum gas (also called propane autogas)

By summer, Ford will offer eight vehicles that can run on clean-burning, affordable CNG; the company is on track to sell more than 15,000 such vehicles in 2014
The state of Oklahoma, its agencies and the city of Dallas have ordered a total of 321 Ford F-150 pickups that can run on compressed natural gas.

Since 2010, Ford CNG-prepped truck sales have increased more than 250 percent, said Jon Coleman, Ford fleet sales manager. Cumulative sales are expected to exceed 50,000 trucks by the end of the year, and Ford expects demand for CNG-prepped vehicles to continue growing as more fleet customers recognize the economic and environmental benefits of this clean-burning fuel.

CNG-powered trucks lower costs and offer emissions benefits, and the alternative fuel is domestically produced, Coleman explained. Operating costs can be as low as one third that of conventional vehicles. Typically, the fuel savings cover the cost of conversion within three years.

"For fleet customers in Oklahoma, Texas and other states, a CNG F-150 really makes sense," Coleman said. "The fuel is more affordable and widely available, and it reduces greenhouse gases and pollutants that cause smog."

The 2014 F-150 is available with a gaseous-fuel prep option for the 3.7-liter V6 that can run on CNG or liquefied petroleum gas. CNG/LPG engine prep from the factory costs $315. The customer then chooses a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier to supply fuel tanks, fuel lines and unique fuel injectors. Upfits run approximately $6,000 to $9,500, depending on tank capacity.

For fleet managers, CNG conversions can provide stability against fluctuating fuel prices, lower vehicle operating costs and reduce pollutants. CNG sells for a national average $2.11 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, and is as low as $1 in parts of the country. By comparison, the national average for unleaded regular gas is $3.67 per gallon.

Customers can also accelerate the payback period by taking advantage of a growing number of incentives issued by states such as Oklahoma.

CNG expansion
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is leading a coalition of 22 states seeking to use more CNG vehicles in their fleets. CNG is abundant in this country and reduces America's dependence on foreign oil. CNG also lessens the environmental impact of greenhouse gas by 20 percent and reduces smog-producing pollutants up to 90 percent.

Fallin announced the CNG project at her inaugural Governor's Energy Conference in 2011. Since then, she has worked with other Oklahoma officials and governors from other states, met with Ford and other automobile manufacturers, and received bids to add more CNG vehicles to the state's fleets.

"I am excited about Oklahoma's partnership with Ford Motor Company as we work to support energy efficiency, cost savings and the use of clean-burning American-made energy," Fallin said. "Ultimately, converting our state fleets to CNG will save millions in taxpayer dollars."

CNG prices in Oklahoma vary from $1.07 to $2.49 per gallon of gasoline equivalent. The average statewide price for a gallon of regular gas is $3.43. Fuel bills could be reduced as much as 67 percent with CNG vehicles, Coleman said.

The specially equipped bi-fuel F-150 model purchased by Oklahoma features two storage tanks – the regular factory gasoline reservoir and a supplementary CNG tank. Combined, this gives the light-duty truck a range of up to 750 miles, depending on the size of the tanks. The most common configuration allows fleet operators to go 450 miles on CNG alone and another 300 miles on regular gas.

Most CNG options
By this summer, Ford will offer eight commercial vehicles with a gaseous-prep option, more than any other full-line manufacturer:

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The Truck market should be looking to Plug-In Hybrid Trucks. - Better gas mileage city and highway. - Better utility with an onboard power supply. - Investment will only get Better with Time. As Solar price will be cheaper then all other fuels in 5 years, and battery capacity is doubling every 7 years. - CNG is already dead. On, and it only makes Climate Change worse, as natural gas/fracking is just as carbon intensive as Coal.

Anonymous

9 Months Ago

@CoolWaters

You're kidding, right? Even an F-150 or Silverado 1500 has a GVW pushing up to 8000#. My 1 Ton is over 10,000 pounds and will tow another 14,000. "Plug-in Hybrids" are useless in those high-load scenarios-- due to lack of sustained torque and the attendant battery life and thermal issues. Experts agree that the one place where alternative energy (other than biodiesel) has no place is in hauling-- the high vehicle weights, torque requirements and dynamic loading needs make 'hybrids' a non-starter.

Anonymous

9 Months Ago

@CoolWaters

You're kidding, right? Even an F-150 or Silverado 1500 has a GVW pushing up to 8000#. My 1 Ton is over 10,000 pounds and will tow another 14,000. "Plug-in Hybrids" are useless in those high-load scenarios-- due to lack of sustained torque and the attendant battery life and thermal issues. Experts agree that the one place where alternative energy (other than biodiesel) has no place is in hauling-- the high vehicle weights, torque requirements and dynamic loading needs make 'hybrids' a non-starter.

Natural gas is great, we just have to be sure not to use polluting fracked gas, just see the film Gasland. And check out renewable methane by Redeem, it is the true clean fuel for these trucks. redeem.cleanenergyfuels.com

Anonymous

9 Months Ago

@CoolWaters You're kidding, right? Even an F-150 or Silverado 1500 has a GVW pushing up to 8000#. My 1 Ton is over 10,000 pounds and will tow another 14,000. "Plug-in Hybrids" are useless in those high-load scenarios-- due to lack of sustained torque and the attendant battery life and thermal issues. Experts agree that the one place where alternative energy (other than biodiesel) has no place is in hauling-- the high vehicle weights, torque requirements and dynamic loading needs make 'hybrids' a non-starter.

You do realize you can add a plug and battery, and KEEP the same engine, with all of its torque and power. And even add quite a bit too. The plugin part will be beneficial knowing that most of the time, a pickup truck is empty. For the rest of the time, an electric motor, coupled with a full sized engine, can haul MORE. This is not some Pickup Prius we're talking about. What "experts" agree with you?

Anonymous

9 Months Ago

@JB

CNG has some significant momentum right now. It's less glamorous than a Tesla-- but it makes more sense. I was in a converted Crown Vic taxi cab in LA the other day-- the driver loves it. Fuel costs are way down and the city wants most public transportation on CNG. That's also true in DC.

Yup, I see a lot of bus and taxis that are CNG. In California, you can still get a carpool sticker that gets you single occupancy in the carpool lane with CNG. Those carpool stickers are coveted and they really helped hybrids and EVs. The car companies and dealers are not pushing CNG enough and distracting us and ******* the tax payer with Hydrogen.

I fully agree that waaaaay too many people that don't need them buy them. Well, they will suffer their own personal indignities as gas prices rise and the value of their trucks drop. But we will always still need some of them for hauling large things. But most people can do fine with a normal car and just renting a truck from U-Haul, the local Home Depot, ZIPcar, or a rental place on those few occasions when they actually need to haul something.

'encouraged' is a really nice term to use for coercion/force/threats! The US Govt. and it's military are certainly puppets who dance whenever the huge oil corps and bankers want them to dance. If they fail to dance, there is always mass murder... has been that way since the 1940's.. We don't get most of our oil from Canada by the way; they are the top exporter to us, but we only get about 15-20% of the oil we use from them.

Unfortunately, we all pay for such indignities. Government is encouraged to keep gasoline prices low, for the sake of the economy (even though many people make poor decisions). So we are encouraged to send our military to ensure our supply (even though we get most of our oil from Canada, the Middle East still affects global pricing). And policy makers give more and more tax breaks to the petroleum industry.

Anonymous

9 Months Ago

@danfred311

They sell because a lot of people do real work for a living. Hauling stuff is often a part of that work. When my building contractor starts showing up at the job site in a Prius, or worse-- a Tesla, that's when I will get worried.

A lot of people do work with their vehicles. The VAST MAJORITY DO NOT. Most pickup trucks I have seen, on the road are empty. It is a status symbol in the southern states, rather than a utility vehicle. Yes, near construction sites... trucks do work... but the most trucks are sold for the "idea" of hauling... but never actually haul anything other than an occasional couch for a friend.